Chapter 3 details the vast national security resources were ready to deploy against Idle No More when mobilizations began in late 2012. Chapter four documents how the nation-wide Indigenous mobilizations prompted the security state to further integrate policing resources. Idle No More erupted as a result of settler colonial legislation targeting Indigenous land and governance, among other issues. We contend that policing efforts mobilized and consolidated in response is unprecedented in Canadian history. Multiple departments and agencies fused resources to surveil and report on over 1,000 events associated with Idle No More, resulting in the need to consolidate what the national security establishment called a “fusion centre for Native problems” (CSIS 2016-93: 1) during the height of Idle No More protests and blockades associated with “violence against critical infrastructure” (RCMP 2015-9616: 1066). The Government Operations Centre (GOC) emerged as the central node to coordinate policing and surveillance of Indigenous protests. The aftermath reveals the permanent installation of the GOC “fusion centre” which now produces regular “environmental scans” and forecasts attempting to predict Indigenous opposition surrounding resource project approvals and other government decisions surrounding Indigenous lands and rights.
Files used in this chapter include:
CSIS 2013-185
Number of Pages: 25
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain email threads and intelligence reports concerning Idle No More protests alleging that there may be an escalation of blockades that would affect Transport Canada in 2013.
CSIS 2015-616
Number of Pages: 7
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain presentation notes for a Government Operations Center (GOC) meeting regarding Idle No More on January 17, 2013.
CSIS 2016-93
Number of Pages: 27
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain email correspondence, agenda, and briefing notes for the ADM National Security Operations (NS Ops) Committee meeting on January 15th and January 24, 2013 concerning the escalation of First Nations protests.
DFO 2016-260
Number of Pages: 13
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain email correspondence and hand written notes from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) concerning the ADM National Security Operations (NS Ops) Committee meeting on January 15th and January 24, 2013 concerning the escalation of First Nations protests.
DND 2013-679
Number of Pages: 377
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain media response lines, intelligence summaries, intelligence reports, and threat assessments from the Department of National Defence (DND) monitoring Idle No More protests, demonstrations and blockades. Also includes email thread that detail conversations collecting intelligence on Idle No More.
INAC 2012-1352
Number of Pages: 621
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain emails, reports, and public relations documents. Notable documents include internal emails from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) containing news articles concerning Idle No More and Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike. A spokesperson book containing a series of public relations documents explaining the Government of Canada’s official positions on Indigenous relations and protests of Bill C-45, and emails containing documents from “NewsDesk” responsible for monitoring news media.
INAC 2012-1391
Number of Pages: 118
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) concerning the hunger strike of Chief Theresa Spence. These email’s include discussion on strategies to monitor hashtags associated with Indigenous protest. These emails also include a series of publicly accessible news and opinions articles, as well as notifications from Idle No More.
INAC 2012-1416
Number of Pages: 1047
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) concerning INAC public relations and media discussions around Idle No More, Canada’s duty to consult concerning issues around indigenous territory. Includes a Media Analysis of Idle No More published by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Also includes interview transcripts from CBC radio concerning Idle No More and Chief Theresa Spence. Also includes a NewsDesk report with several hundred pages of articles concerning Idle No More. The document concludes with a series of situation reports on “First Nations Protest” produced from the Government Operations Center (GOC).
INAC 2012-1537
Number of Pages: 1223
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails and intelligence documents from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) concerning Idle No More after Chief Theresa May ended her hunger strike. The bulk of the intelligence is a collection of journalistic and editorial articles concerning Idle No More and connected protests and demonstrations. Notably, this document contains emails concerning the sharing of intelligence between INAC, Public Safety, and the Government Operations Center (GOC) in the form of hot spot summaries and situation reports. Also, a report on the Beyond Section 35 Symposium.
INAC 2013-361
Number of Pages: 840
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails and intelligence from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Notable disclosures include an AANDC slideshow on a twitter media analysis of the Idle No More hashtag, collections of journalistic articles and editorials concerning Indigenous protest, an AANDC response to media document concerning the flooding and evacuation of Attawapiskat First Nations. As well as a conflict between Attawapiskat community members and the De Beers diamond mine built on their territory. And finally, the Attawapiskat First Nations funding agreement with AANDC.
INAC 2013-719
Number of Pages: 310
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails, powerpoint slides and reports from the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Notable documents include powerpoint slides from the Government of Canada titled “Advancing the policy agenda into the next phase of the mandate”, email threads monitoring journalistic articles and editorials critical of the government’s treatment of Indigenous communities, emails threads concerning the writing, editing, and approval of a Letter to the Editor as a response to a Globe and Mail op-ed titled “Government cuts: Soon, all Canadians will know how it feels to be an indian”, Issues Management Bi-Weekly Reports, and AANDC Emergency and Issues Management Directorate (EIMD) Weekly Highlights concerning flooding and Indigenous protest in the spring-summer of 2013.
INAC 2016-324
Number of Pages: 8
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a document titled “Comments related to ‘Idle No More” Deck for ADM NS OPS”, as well as emails between Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and the Government Operations Center (GOC).
INAC 2016-765
Number of Pages: 236
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of emergency management reports and powerpoint slides from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC). Notable documents include: Issues Management Reports winter 2014, powerpoint slides on AANDC Policy Agenda 2013, an AANDC risk assessment on its relationship with aboriginal peoples, powerpoint slides on AANDC Communications Landscape 2013, and a series of AANDC EIMD Weekly Situational Awareness Reports related to Idle No More.
INAC 2017-311
Number of Pages: 26
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain Meeting Scenario Note for Minister concerning the Crown-First Nations meeting on January 11th, 2013, “Session on Treaty Relationship and Negotiations”. Includes powerpoint slides from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) titled “Historic Treaties in Canada: Overview for Ministers”.
PCO 2013-226
Number of Pages: 176
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain emails, situation reports, and powerpoints from the Privy Council Office (PCO). Notable documents include: Information Note Summaries on First Nations Protests for the Prime Minister, Government Operations Center (GOC) situation reports on First Nations Protest, Powerpoint slides from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) titled “2013: The Year Ahead”, and internal email correspondence between the GOC and PCO concerning Idle No More.
PSC 2013-160
Number of Pages: 934
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of minutes, powerpoint slides, internal email threads, and situation and monthly reports from Public Safety Canada (PSC). Notable documents include: Minutes from several “APD Extended Management Committees” in 2013, powerpoint slides and presentation notes on First Nations Protests risks shared between the Government Operations Center (GOC) and the PSC, Internal email threads from PSC concerning ongoing first nations protest and situational awareness, GOC situation reports on First Nations Protest on the National Day of Action Januaray 16th, 2013, powerpoint slides from PSC titled “Building a Safe and Resilient Canada: Towards a Strategic Policy Analysis”, powerpoint slides from PSC titled “Building a Safe and Resilient Canada: Presentation to DM Breakfast: Preparedness for First Nations Issues”, powerpoint slides from GOC titled “GC Contingency Planning Scenario — FN protests & Potential Escalation”, and GOC situation reports and monthly overviews concerning First Nations Protest.
PSC 2015-332
Number of Pages: 15
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of internal emails concerning the organization of an inter-agency meeting post-ADM NS Ops committee meeting in January 2013 concerning the issue of First Nations Protest.
PSC 2015-345
Number of Pages: 35
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of powerpoint slides and slide notes from Public Safety Canada (PSC) and the Government Operations Center (GOC). Notable documents include: powerpoint slides from PSC titled “FN Protest Activity Spring and Summer 2013 Forecast”, powerpoint slides from GOC titled “FN Protest Activity Spring and Summer 2013 Forecast”, and powerpoint slides from the GOC titled “GC Contingency Planning Scenario — FN Protests & Potential Escalation.
PSC 2016-10
Number of Pages: 12
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a powerpoint slides from Public Safety Canada (PSC) titled “Presentation to DM Breakfast: Preparedness for First Nations Issues”.
RCMP 2012-7309
Number of Pages: 16
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain two intelligence/information reports from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Protective Investigative Unit: One titled “Take Canada Back/Holding Hand Across the Land for Democracy” and the other titled “Occupied Ottawa”. As well as an Intelligence Report titled “Idle No More”.
RCMP 2013-1554
Number of Pages: 80
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain briefing notes and updates to the commissioner from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) concerning First Nations protest and Idle No More.
RCMP 2013-5506
Number of Pages: 6
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of briefing notes prepared by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) by HQ Criminal Intelligence concerning Idle No More protests.
RCMP 2015-9616
Number of Pages: 4283
Summary of File: Disclosed documents contain a series of Royal Mounted Canadian Police (RCMP) briefing notes and updates to the commissioner, communications and public relations documents, internal emails related to intelligence gathering around Idle No More, and Government Operations Center (GOC), Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA), and RCMP situation reports on Idle No More protests. Some notable documents are: RCMP report titled “National Aboriginal Demonstrations and Protests: Framework for Defining the RCMP’s Coordinated National Response”, E-Division Aboriginal Policing Services: Strategic Outlook Report — Idle No More”, “‘O’ Division Criminal Intelligence Program: Idle No More”, CBSA “Threat Assessment: Planned Border Blockade”, and powerpoint slides titled “RCMP Intelligence Report on Idle No More”.
Policing Indigenous Movements: Dissent and the Security State 